When you take a bite of these grilled bacon-wrapped pickles, the hot, crispy bacon and the fresh, juicy pickle come together with a creamy garlic dip to create the perfect summer appetizer.
Mix all dip ingredients together. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.
For the Grilled Pickles
Wrap each pickle in one of the bacon slices. Secure it with a toothpick.
Heat the outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Once it reaches that temperature, turn off half of the burners (for indirect heat) and place a mesh grill mat over the indirect-heat side of the grill.
While you're waiting for the grill to preheat, brush the bacon-wrapped pickles with some BBQ sauce.
Place the bacon-wrapped pickles on the grill mat (indirect heat) and close the grill lid. Cook for about 20 minutes or until bacon is fully cooked.
Move the pickles over to the direct heat for a few minutes, turning a couple of times, to crisp up the bacon. (If some crisp up quicker than the others, just move them over to the indirect heat side to keep warm.)
Transfer the bacon-wrapped pickles to a serving dish, cool for a few minutes and serve with the garlic dip.
Notes
Note on nutrition info: The nutrition information for this recipe does not include the dip as the amount used would very greatly.
Bacon tip: If some of the pickles are very small, you can cut the bacon strips to a shorter length. You do not want to overlap the bacon too much, as this can lead to parts of the bacon being undercooked.
Avoid using wet pickles: After you remove them from the brine, just make sure to shake off or pat down the excess brine so that the bacon can crisp up easily.
Pickle size: In a pinch, you could slice a full-sized pickle for this recipe, but baby dill pickles are the perfect size for appetizers with the perfect amount of crunch, juice and texture.
Mesh grill mat: I highly recommend using the grill mat. It makes it easier to move the pickles from one side of the grill to the other, plus it's easy to clean. It's perfect for small appetizers like these pickles.
Dip storage: Store the dip in a sealed container in the fridge so that it retains its freshness for up to 3 to 4 days.
Leftover grilled pickle storage: Store your grilled pickles in the fridge as soon as possible. Eat them within a few days for maximum freshness.
Reheating: Once they're cooked, you can heat up the appetizers in the microwave or throw them in a frying pan to keep the bacon crispy.